


Home

by nancynthia



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: F/F, Fix-It, Post-Break Up, Post-Season/Series 10
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-30
Updated: 2020-04-30
Packaged: 2021-03-01 20:08:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,041
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23932819
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nancynthia/pseuds/nancynthia
Summary: Everyone has its own definition of a "home".What's yours?
Relationships: Magna/Yumiko (Walking Dead)
Kudos: 32





	Home

**Author's Note:**

  * For [greyjoyouz](https://archiveofourown.org/users/greyjoyouz/gifts).



> First of all, I didn't concentrate my energy on the setting.  
> But: The Whisperers are done. Connie is back. Magna is alive and so is Yumiko. They meet in the Barrington House right after Yumiko came back from the Commonwealth.  
> I know it's not the most realistic scenario but I hope you'll enjoy it nevertheless!
> 
> Second, English is not my mother tongue and it was my first try writing an english fanfiction ever.  
> That's why I'd appreciate criticism (though I'd like you to stay kind please). 
> 
> Special thanks to greyjoyouz for proofreading and every advice. With your help this story got more readable and I guess every reader will cherish you for your work here as well.
> 
> At last, have fun reading (and maybe let me know if you liked it or not and why)!

Magna was lying in bed reading, when suddenly the door opened. It didn’t open the way it did for the last few days. It opened the way it did before these last days - slow and silent - so Magna didn’t notice it at first, but then she raised her head and faced the door just to see Yumiko.

A surprised look appeared on both women’s faces. Yumiko expected someone being in her room - everyone had to move closer together since Hilltop was nearly completely destroyed - but not _that_ someone. Or maybe she even hoped it would be her.

Yumiko still couldn’t let go of the door, as Magna said in her natural raspy voice that still made her shiver with excitement "I’m glad you’re back, Miko." 

Her eyes were wandering all over Yumikos body - from head to toe - to check if she was okay. "Safe and sound," Magna added in relief.

The Asian woman nodded. "I’m glad to be back too." She took her time closing the door to take a deep breath before facing her ex again. It wouldn’t be this weird to talk to her if she wouldn’t have been gone for days not knowing what’s going on between them - not really knowing how to act around Magna now.

However, Magna felt a kind of happiness and completeness she hadn’t felt in days, when Yumiko decided not to leave this time, but to step closer to her instead. "I missed you," Magna admitted, her mouth ran faster than her brain; her voice was close to a whisper.

Until now she hadn’t allowed herself to miss Miko, but fuck - she did miss her a lot. And when they were alone, Magna always tended to say what she was thinking even though sometimes it was a little cheesy or she even confessed emotions that she hid from everyone - like the homicide of her cousins rapist.

The lastest confession didn’t end well; that’s why Magna wanted to try again and tell her something that would bring them back together instead of separating them, again.

Magna focused on Miko - she was still standing in front of the door and even though, at this point, it looked like she’d leave soon anyway, Magna knew she wouldn’t.

It had to be her calming aura, the understanding look on her face, the soft smile, but also the determination when it came to less comfortable situations; her mastermind and cool head that saved Magnas ass a few times so far; that made her feel comfortable and let her think she’d stay as always. Miko wasn’t the kind of person that just leaves, not like Magna.

"Mag," Yumiko began, but paused. She looked at the brunette and wished that nothing had changed between them, but the sad truth was, it had - like that they weren’t sleeping in one bed anymore before she left. "Are we sharing a bedroom again?" she asked. 

Magnas body stiffened. She waited for it - for Miko to notice - and kick her out once more. She’d understand, but she needed to hear it from Miko. She wouldn’t leave without knowing that’s exactly what Miko wanted her to do. Leave.

"I thought, while you’re gone, I could sleep here. Connie and Kelly shared their bed with me, but you know, I need space," Magna said, slightly shrugging her shoulders.

"Actually, I know you’re a cuddler." Yumiko arched her eyebrows, a small smile on her lips.

"That’s nothing I’m in control of!" Magna said fast, in self defense.

"Does that mean the truth is, they kicked you out, because you couldn’t stop snuggling up to them?" Miko pressed her lips together to hide her amusement. She always loved how Magna held her in her sleep - how affectionate she was once they closed the door behind them.

Outside she still behaved somehow like her homophobic father was around and would punish her if he’d see her with another woman. It got better throughout the years but it didn’t fully release Magna of its control over her actions.

"No," Magna underlined. But she couldn’t handle waking up, thinking Miko was in her arms, just to get hit hard by reality every morning. She rather woke up wrapped around a pillow still smelling like her former girlfriend. "Imagine, they even were sad as I announced, I’m moving out. I guess they liked this girly sleepover stuff." 

A simple hand movement showed Yumiko that this kind of room sharing wasn’t made for a lone wolf like Magna. "But now I’m back," Yumiko said, biting her lower lip. Maybe her voice sounded harsher than she intended and maybe she was thinking of more than just sharing a bedroom again.

All these days in the Commonwealth Yumiko couldn’t stop thinking about Magna and what they managed to get through - together. They were a team, they covered each other’s backs and from time to time, they faced each other for a hug or a kiss and Miko thought that was beautiful. In this mess of a world Magna was the only beautiful thing to her. She watched the younger woman and from instinct she knew she still was.

And even though it hurt, Yumiko wanted to get through some more, to stay as an inseparable team, to get back to being lovers someday because everything in this new world hurt somehow. She’d like to decide who’s going to hurt her at least, and there she’d choose Magna every goddamn time.

It was hard to be with Magna, but it was harder being without her.

"Yeah." Magna closed her book, catching Mikos glance, unsure what was on her mind. "I guess Connie, Kelly and I will varnish our nails today," she said, followed by a heartwarming, bright smile. Magna tried hard to make things easier in a humorous way. But Yumiko stayed serious.

Magna sat down at the end of the bed, ready to go as Yumiko finally asked "Do you want to stay?" The raven haired finally moved and sat down next to Magna, their arms lightly touched, their brown eyes met in the middle.

Magna wanted to say " _Sure_ " and stretch out on the bed, but first she asked "If that’s okay with you?" She wanted to respect Miko again and she didn’t want to hurt Miko anymore.

"Of course," Yumiko shortly replied, her hands held the bed sheets between them and their legs. "I could offer you a bedtime story about the Commonwealth for the nail varnishing you’ll miss now." Sometimes humor even worked for Yumiko.

Her grip softened, as she saw Magna smirk in agreement. They laid down in bed and it nearly felt like nothing had changed at all. But maybe this was their kind of relationship now - staying close without being too close - being friends. A few inches separated them.

Yumiko told one story after another about how great the Commonwealth was, that Magna realized, it must’ve been better over there - better than right here. "I’m surprised you’re back to be honest" Magna stated.

Yumiko furrowed her brow in lack of understanding. "Why that?" She didn’t know why she should’ve stayed there. The Commonwealth was all fun and games, but it wasn’t like Hilltop and it would never be like Hilltop - not without her family.

Magna licked her lips before she said "I thought after everything that happened in Hilltop, what happened with us, you’d start something new. The Commonwealth at least sounds like a place where you can do so." She knew, she hurt Miko a lot and she didn’t want to repeat that. She wanted Miko to be happy even if that would mean she’d be happy without her.

Yumiko sat herself up in bed, looking over Magnas thoughtful expression. She wasn’t joking. "We called Hilltop our home, after a long time traveling through this fucked up world, we finally settled down. I wanted to come back home. That’s what I always wanted. A home," she explained to enlighten her friend.

At the moment Hilltop didn’t look like a home but it still felt like it. Right after Yumiko entered Hilltop ground, she knew, she was back where she belonged. She felt safe - or whatever it’s called when your chance to die was as low as it could get - and she felt it with every inch of her sore body even without walls, that protected her from the dead.

She could never leave Kelly, Connie, Luke or Magna without saying a word, never ever. Magna nodded slowly, beginning to understand. For Yumiko a home was a place. For Magna it was more of a feeling. She never wanted to be jailed, not in jail, not in a house or a city. So she decided to make a home something she could always carry with her - or carry with her easier at least.

"Hilltop itself wasn’t the part that made this place a home. Not for me," she said, looking up at Yumiko. "Hilltop lost its home qualities. Not even because literally everything around this house is completely destroyed, but because you weren’t with me." Magna swallowed, but couldn’t get rid of this weird feeling in her throat, telling her she was nervous and definitely forever in love with the woman next to her.

Yumiko just stared at her, wide eyed, blank, speechless. She blinked a few times to make sure Magna is no imagination of her tired ass. Magna was real but Yumiko remained with troubles trusting her ears. Usually Magna didn’t lie to her - except for her committed crimes. So Yumiko thought - or wished - the brunette tried to say, she still got feelings for her, because Yumiko kept a lot of them for the wildcat next to her, though she knew it was dangerous yet comforting.

Magna shifted her body to be on equal terms with the older woman. "You’re my home, Miko," she confessed, a smile flashing over her face. "You were it in prison, on the road and in Hilltop."

At first, Yumiko was amazed at Magnas maturity and her smart point of view there, while Yumiko herself was stuck in her childhood beliefs - thinking a home had to be a place, a house. But Magna was right. A home could be everything; a person, a house or even a feeling.

But then, Yumikos head went fuzzy, because it was crazy, that she just had to hope people tell her the truth, but she guessed that’s it now - Magna telling the truth, the whole truth. She couldn’t imagine one reason for her to lie here at this point. Or maybe there was one.

"Are you scared to be lonely?" Yumiko asked without thinking twice, a questioning look on her face.

Magna froze at those words. She expected another response for opening up to Miko, a rather grateful one. She guessed she had to open up some more to satisfy her friend, to make her believe her again after all these years of lies, which of course damaged her trust.

"I’m not alone, Miko," she said. "Most of the time in my life I was supposed to be alone, but since I know you, I’m not. I still have you, Connie, Kelly and Luke and everyone in Hilltop or even Alexandria and Oceanside and even-" Magnas chest ached at the thought of being without the only person she ever loved with all of this fucked up heart.

"Even if you’d leave, I wouldn’t be alone," she finished, breaking their gaze.

Yumiko held her breath. Magna avoided answering her question, intended or not. That was nothing new for Yumiko but Magna really shouldn’t beat about the bush at this topic. She had to know if it was better to stay with her or leave for good. Yumiko wanted to stay but not if they’d be better off without each other.

Yumiko didn’t want to hold on to a relationship caused of fear. She wanted to be loved, truly and without any doubt. She loved Magna this way and she always would. She just asked herself if Magna felt the same.

Yumiko wasn’t scared to be lonely after all, but she was scared to be alone, especially in those apocalypse times. For Magna it would be the other way around, she was sure of it.

"That’s not what I meant, Magna. Being alone and feeling lonely aren’t the same thing. You can still feel lonely while you’re in company. Just because you’re not alone physically doesn’t mean you aren’t-"

"Okay," Magna interrupted, feeling stressed. "Let me finish then." She cleared her throat while she tried to organize her thoughts, which have gone wild in the last minutes. She hated this stuff - crying her heart out, paying attention to what’s on her mind and talking about it was definitely the worst. It was hard for her to put it into words, but she tried since Miko deserved it.

"I- I’m sorry," Yumiko stuttered. She never wanted to force Magna to anything, not even when talking about her feelings would be the very least she could do.

She hated that she had to boss Magna around because of her new position in Hilltop. Yumiko was confident, a leader and she always loved to lead people, for example out of prison. She turned her passion to profession. But things changed, again and again.

It would be a lie if Yumiko said she wouldn’t want Magna back on track but she was also right, when she said Yumiko wasn’t her lawyer anymore. She was Magnas girlfriend - or her friend at least - and friends help each other and support each other but they’re not in charge and they shouldn’t push for anything, not even after everything that happened.

"No, I’m sorry," Magna said with a steady voice. She really was sorry. "It’s my fault, you question every word that leaves my mouth. I shouldn’t have lied to you for over ten years. No, I shouldn’t have lied to you at all. But I did and I’m sorry."

Yumiko stared at her once again. Being sorry was the first step to change ones behavior. Feeling sorry does something with you, mostly something positive and Magna could definitely need something positive in her life, something good. Yumiko always thought she was the good that happened to her brunette friend, the good she deserved, but maybe she wasn’t all good either.

She wanted to let Magna finish but the words pushed forward. She just needed to say this as much as she needed to hear her friends answer. "I want to forgive you, Mag. I try hard but it takes time. It’s easy to be sorry - I’m sorry too because I gave you the feeling you’ve had to lie to me for thirteen years - but forgiveness is not just a feeling, it’s a process."

"I know," Magna admitted, lowering her head. "I just want you to know that I’m very sorry about all this shit." A sigh came out of her slightly parted lips. She hoped it would accelerate the process though.

"Okay," Yumiko said quietly, waiting for the younger woman to continue. She folded her hands in her lap, her eyes wandering all over the wall instead of all over Magna. She didn’t want to put any more pressure on Magna, because mostly that led to walling her out.

"So," Magna licked her lips, not sure how to put everything into words - into the right words. Yumiko looked back at her, slowly but eager. "I may be lonely without you, Miko. But I’m not scared of being lonely. Actually, the only thing I’m scared of is losing you."

Magna got Mikos point. But to be honest, she never wasted much of a thought on it ‘til now and it made her realize something important. The truth was, she didn’t need Miko, but for God’s sake, she wanted Miko - all of her; without any exception.

Now Yumiko knew for sure that both of them feared the same thing - losing each other forever. They wanted to stay in each other’s lives, regardless of whether it was as friends or lovers. And Yumiko was okay with that in the first place. Everything else would happen or would not happen.

Yumiko held out a hand, offering it to Magna. The other woman grabbed it without any hesitation. Their hands fit perfectly and it felt freaking well after just holding weapons over the last days. Magna immediately calmed down at the touch, her mind stopped from spinning and her pulse rate got back to normal.

"I’m glad you told me. It means a lot," Yumiko declared, gently squeezing Magnas warm but raw hand.

Magna nodded, still looking at their intertwined fingers on the blanket. It was a good start, she thought. They got to sort out some things, they closed the gap their split-up left and they opened up to each other. They could start recovering now.

At least she wouldn’t lose Miko as a result of her blazing thirteen year old lie.

"So we’re home," Yumiko announced with a smile that made Magna smile back at her, referring to Magnas speech. "But we should look out for a place to stay nevertheless."

Yumiko was right even though Magna feared a new place would part them instead of bringing them back together. Right here, right now they shared a room, they’d work side by side to rebuild Hilltop and its community. She didn’t want to be on the road again, now that they got rid of the Whisperers. And somehow she didn’t want to join the Commonwealth - a new unknown area with too many people she wouldn’t trust.

But she trusted Miko and if Miko said it’s a good place to stay, she’d stay there with her, she’d stay wherever Miko wanted her to - because Miko is her home; the only constant in her life since the apocalypse and maybe even before this shit came down.

"Yeah, we’ll do that - for sure," she said, meeting Mikos loving gaze, firmly holding hands.

The raven haired woman exhaled to fill her lungs with fresh air for a new start, for getting to know Magna better than she did before, for staying with the ones she loved and getting another chance to protect them.

In each other’s company they’d always have a home.


End file.
